OBS NOW! WORK TO CONTINUE IN NEW REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
BYLINE: Roger Harris
A coalition of regional economic development organizations announced Tuesday they have formed a partnership called Innovation Valley Inc., which will continue the work of the Jobs Now! program.
Members of the partnership include the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership, Loudon County Economic Development Agency, Oak Ridge Economic Partnership, The Roane Alliance and Tellico Reservoir Development Agency.
A board of directors comprised of three area businessmen -- Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes Inc.; Jimmy Haslam, president of Pilot Travel Centers LLC; and Thom Mason, president and CEO of UT-Battelle LLC - will lead Innovation Valley. Additional directors will be added in the future.
All three directors were active in Jobs Now!, a five-year regional economic development campaign that ran through the end of 2007.
The work of Innovation Valley "will include the traditional blocking and tackling of economic development -- business recruitment and retention.
But one of the strongest themes will be work force development," Mason said. "Work force development is the real key to economic development." Haslam said the significance of the various economic development agencies working together cannot be overstated.
"There is no jealousy between groups. No territorial rights," Haslam said.
The new partnership will develop a detailed work plan in the coming months as it expands the board of directors. But a blueprint can be found in the five-year economic development strategy commissioned by the Jobs Now! partners. This blueprint, which was prepared by Boyette Levy, an Atlanta-based economic development consulting firm, includes recommendations on education and work force development, technology and entrepreneurship, global marketing, business retention and expansion, public policy and resources for living.